JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The widespread use of digital technologies—especially the internet and social media—has raised growing concerns about their impact on mental health. While self-regulation has been proposed as a protective factor, little is known about how distinct psychological profiles based on self-regulatory and technology use patterns relate to well-being. Person-centered approaches such as Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) may offer deeper insights, particularly in underrepresented populations.

Objective:

This study aimed to identify latent psychological profiles based on self-regulation, nomophobia, and problematic use of the internet and social media and to examine their association with mental health outcomes in a Colombian sample. Additionally, the predictive roles of age and gender on class membership were explored. Methods

Methods:

453 participants aged 12 to 57 years (M = 21.03, SD = 8.41; 57% female) completed validated measures of self-regulation, nomophobia, internet use, social media use, and psychological health (GHQ-12). Latent Profile Analysis was conducted using standardized scores of continuous variables. Model fit was assessed using BIC, entropy, and BLRT. Differences in psychological health across latent classes were examined through ANOVA and regression models. A multinomial logistic regression tested the predictive value of age and gender on class membership.

Results:

The optimal solution revealed four distinct latent profiles (entropy = 0.85): Class 1 (adaptive): high self-regulation, low nomophobia, and low ICT use; presented the best psychological health. Class 4 (vulnerable): low self-regulation, high nomophobia, and high ICT use; reported the poorest health outcomes. Classes 2 and 3 displayed intermediate profiles, with Class 3 showing slightly better health than Class 4. Differences in psychological health across classes were statistically significant (ANOVA, p < .001). Age and gender were significant predictors of class membership: younger females were more likely to belong to Class 1, whereas older males were more likely to be classified into Classes 3 and 4.

Conclusions:

LPA enabled the identification of distinct psychological profiles that vary in mental health outcomes and digital vulnerability. Self-regulation emerged as a central protective factor, suggesting the importance of tailored digital interventions to enhance regulatory capacities. These findings reinforce the value of person-centered approaches and highlight the need for scalable strategies to mitigate the mental health risks associated with problematic ICT use in Spanish-speaking populations.